Topeka & Manhattan Involved in FBI Sex Trade Sting

Kansas City, KS (AP/KNST) – FBI raids across the nation to combat the child sexploitation industry netted arrests, drug and vehicle seizures across Kansas last week, including Topeka and Manhattan.

The raids, dubbed “Operation Cross Country VIII”, resulted in the recovery of 168 child victims of prostitution and the arrests of 281 pimps across the country.

The Kansas City Star reports police in Kansas City, Kansas City, Kansas, Topeka, Manhattan, Wichita, Springfield and Columbia were involved in the operation resulting in the arrests of seven alleged pimps.

The raids were conducted under the jurisdiction of the FBI and other federal agencies as well as the local cooperation of police in 106 cities.

To date, the week-long operations have recovered nearly 3,600 children from the streets.

“These are not faraway kids in faraway lands,” FBI Director James Corney said in announcing the results. “These are America’s children.”

One challenge, officials say, is that many of the children who were recovered were never reported missing in the first place – by parents, guardians and the entire child welfare system designed to protect them.

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